Sweet Savior
by chasingcolors
Summary: “I'll protect them with my life.” And so he did. [sasusaku]


He was here again.

Sakura peered at the dark-haired man from behind the marble counter, trying to be discreet. Several groups of giggling girls who sat at the bakery's tables ogled the gorgeous man shamelessly. She scoffed.

_Honestly…_

Since she turned twelve, Haruno Sakura helped her father out at their bakery. She never complained; the job wasn't really boring, and she loved interacting with other people.

_Just not stuck-up fangirls…_

Her job wasn't exactly exciting though. Day after day, baking sweets and breads, serving customers… it wasn't something she'd chosen to do almost everyday. Not that Sakura had much of a choice, if she wanted to pay the rent for her family's apartment and keep food on the table. But she was still a bit bored with her job.

Until he came.

The mysterious dark-haired man started coming to her bakery about two months ago. Sometimes he would bring his hyperactive blond friend with him. His name was Naruto, and they'd talk whenever he came, which wasn't too often because of his beloved ramen stand and a girl called Hinata.

But from Naruto, she learned a couple of things about the drop-dead-sexy stranger. For one, his name was Sasuke. Naruto never really mentioned his last name, and she didn't have the courage to ask. She also learned that he despised his fangirls.

_Big surprise…the stupid sluts are all over him..._

Besides that, she didn't know much about him, except his routine. Everyday, in the evening, he'd come in, buy a coffee, and sit in the tiny two-person table by the fireplace. He'd take out his laptop and type furiously for hours, determinedly ignoring the little squads of fangirls who would blatantly undress him with their eyes.

And was always the last to leave, mere minutes before she closed the bakery. Sakura always wondered why; surely he shouldn't still be out this late. But his routine never changed.

_Sakura…_

She wished she could get to know him better. He was a mystery to her, fascinating.

_Sakura!_

And she wouldn't be like one of those fangirls either, just liking him for his looks—

"SAKURA!"

Her head jerked up, her shoulder length hair bouncing up.

"What—huh?" Her father sighed.

"_You've been daydreaming for twenty minutes._ I'd appreciate it if you'd _help."_

"Uh—right. Sorry, dad." Her sighed in exasperation before he left to serve a line of customers. When he could no longer see her face, she let out a sigh of relief. _I'm glad he didn't see who I was staring at._

Sakura finally looked up, intending to resume her work. _What—_

The man—Sasuke—was looking straight at her. His onyx eyes bore into her jade ones, unblinking. She met his gaze evenly, determinedly not blushing or looking away. After awhile he smirked slightly and went back to typing.

She had to fight to slow her heart down as she served the next batch of customers.

* * *

"Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock." Sakura looked up at the clock. It read 6:55. _Five minutes till closing. Finally._

Her dad had left a few hours earlier like he always did, leaving her in charge. All of the customers had left a while ago, trying to escape the rain that was said to pour down soon. She was the only one left tonight.

Except for him.

As she glanced at him. He had just started to pack up his laptop. The coffee cup on the side of his table was long-since empty. Sasuke started rising from his chair.

She didn't know what made her do it. Maybe she had been steeling herself to do it since she first saw him appear in her bakery, or just had a sudden flame of courage bursting inside her.

"Hey."

The man looked up at her voice, slight surprise in his gaze.

She tilted her head questioningly. "You've been here at least five hours. Aren't you hungry?"

He stared at her inquisitively for a moment, as if trying to decide whether or not she was just another one of his many fangirls. Finally, he answered, "Not really."

She grinned cheerfully at him. "C'mon, I've got fresh cookies, just out of the oven. My treat."

"No thanks."

Her smile faltered. _Hello, can't you tell I'm trying to be _nice _you idiot_?!

He raised an eyebrow, amusement apparant in his gaze. _Crap. I did not say that out loud. I did not say that out loud. I did not—_

"Fine." She looked up, surprised he accepted. A bubble of satisfaction welled up inside her _Well, well, now I'm getting somewhere…_

Sasuke sat back down at the table. She smiled happily and tossed some cookies onto the platter from behind the counter. Then she filled up a glass with milk. Sakura plopped them both down on his table.

"Milk too?" He raised an eyebrow again. _Damn, I wish I could do that…_

"What didn't your mother ever make you milk and cookies after a long day?" Sakura said, attempting small-talk. She saw him stiffen slightly.

"No." He replied coldly, his dark eyes glaring.

_Geez, does this guy have _any _manners at all?_

"Well, you're having it now. That's final."

Sasuke stared at her. _She's got guts, I'll give her that. _He hesitated.

Sakura began to get impatient. "Okay. It's not that hard. _Just pick up the cookie. Dip it in the milk. And eat it." _

He looked at her irritably. "You're annoying."

She grinned. "I know. Now eat the cookie."

Sasuke sighed inwardly. _She just doesn't give up. _ He finally relented.

So he picked up the cookie.

And dipped it in the milk.

And ate it.

Sakura clapped, her emerald eyes dancing playfully. "See, that wasn't so bad! It's good, right?"

He nodded stoically, hurriedly finishing the rest. When he was done, she said, "Want any more? There's still a whole tray, and they're never as good when they just sit all night. C'mon, it's a gift."

Without waiting for his reply, she took one of the empty cake boxes and slid the rest of the chocolate-chip cookies into it. Then she handed to Sasuke.

"For you." She said, grinning. "You should be honored, you know. This was a special batch."

He looked at her knowingly. "Made just for me, huh."

"As I said, feel free to be honored."

The man smirked again. "I'll protect them with my life."

"Heh, you better."

As he headed out the door, she called, "By the way, I'm Haruno Sakura."

He turned his head back, smirking. "Uchiha Sasuke."

And he was gone.

* * *

The dreaded rain was now pouring down. It was as if a sheer curtain had been layed upon the city, fogging up the atmosphere. 

Uchiha Sasuke walked to the bus stop, since his car was in the repari shop getting it's headlights fixed. The box of still-warm cookies was, luckily, waterproof.

_I'll protect it with my life._

He reached the bus stop with a small handful of others, wishing that the rain would just disappear. A boy sped down the side of the road with his bicycle. A crackle of thunder turned into a roar, as lightning streaked from the sky.

Sasuke lifted his head to see the flashing headlights of the bus. _Finally…_

Vaguely, he could see a bright pink head moving hurriedly towards his bus stop. _The baker girl…_

Suddenly, the little boy's bike slid out from under him, it's wheels slick with slippery rain. With a strangled cry, both bike and boy collapsed on the road. Right in the path of the bus.

He didn't know what made him do it. Sasuke found himself dashing towards the little boy, who was struggling to get up and untangle himself from his bicycle. He grabbed the boy and thrust him towards the sidewalk desperately.

Not seeing the bus speeding towards him.

-

_I'll protect them with my life._

_-_

A girl's voice screamed. Her pink hair flew around her shocked face.

-

_I'll protect them with my life._

_-_

The box of cookies clattered safely to the side of the street.

-

* * *

…was that bad? I hope not… I haven't really gotten the hang of writing fanfictions yet… review please! They make me happy! - If you review, I might make a bonus chapter that might answer some questions… (probably a rewrite with more stuff in it, like Sasuke's POV) Review Please!!!!! 


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